AUTHORS1 PREFACE FOR THE RUSSIAN EDITION
OF PRINCIPLES OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND CODING
This book presents one viewpoint of the development of the theory
of information according to the "American school" founded in 1948 by the
startlingly revealing papers of C. E. Shannon. This field, characterized
by channel error bonds and source rate-distortion functions, developed
along traditional theoretical lines, but more than most such disciplines,
received its impetus from the profoundly practical consideration of digital
communication engineering. Whether we have succeeded in motivating
communication engineers to wade through the swamps of mathematical development is an open question. (We attempted to do so by presenting practical
channel models and a physically motivated treatment early in Part I and
outlining, in the original English preface, a reading sequence which avoids
most of the theoretical developments.) We attest, nontheless, to the
applicability of the results and to its impact on digital communication
systems- of recent years, particularly in U.S. Space and Satellite Communication systems.
Since the development follows the viewpoint and style primarily
of American researchers, we have not sought to be universal in our bibliographical references. Notable exceptions have been extensive inclusion of
the work of the Soviet researcher, K. Sh. Zigangirov, the Japanese, S. Arimoto,
and the Israeli, J. Ziv, whose contributions have extended and improved
our understanding of the aforementioned developments.
To the first of the above, we are particularly indebted for this
translation, of whose value we are assured by the translator's intimate
knowledge and contribution to this field.
A. J. Viterbi
J. K. Omura

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There are materials within the archives that are marked confidential or proprietary, or that contain information that is obviously confidential. Examples of the latter include letters of references and recommendations for employment, promotions, and awards; nominations for awards and honors; resumes of colleagues of Dr. Viterbi; and grade reports of students in Dr. Viterbi's classes at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego.; These restricted items were not scanned and, therefore, are not included in the USC Digital Archive.; Researchers wishing to see any of the restricted materials should consult with the USC Libraries Special Collections staff.

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There are materials within the archives that are marked confidential or proprietary, or that contain information that is obviously confidential. Examples of the latter include letters of references and recommendations for employment, promotions, and awards; nominations for awards and honors; resumes of colleagues of Dr. Viterbi; and grade reports of students in Dr. Viterbi's classes at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego.; These restricted items were not scanned and, therefore, are not included in the USC Digital Archive.; Researchers wishing to see any of the restricted materials should consult with the USC Libraries Special Collections staff.

AUTHORS1 PREFACE FOR THE RUSSIAN EDITION
OF PRINCIPLES OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND CODING
This book presents one viewpoint of the development of the theory
of information according to the "American school" founded in 1948 by the
startlingly revealing papers of C. E. Shannon. This field, characterized
by channel error bonds and source rate-distortion functions, developed
along traditional theoretical lines, but more than most such disciplines,
received its impetus from the profoundly practical consideration of digital
communication engineering. Whether we have succeeded in motivating
communication engineers to wade through the swamps of mathematical development is an open question. (We attempted to do so by presenting practical
channel models and a physically motivated treatment early in Part I and
outlining, in the original English preface, a reading sequence which avoids
most of the theoretical developments.) We attest, nontheless, to the
applicability of the results and to its impact on digital communication
systems- of recent years, particularly in U.S. Space and Satellite Communication systems.
Since the development follows the viewpoint and style primarily
of American researchers, we have not sought to be universal in our bibliographical references. Notable exceptions have been extensive inclusion of
the work of the Soviet researcher, K. Sh. Zigangirov, the Japanese, S. Arimoto,
and the Israeli, J. Ziv, whose contributions have extended and improved
our understanding of the aforementioned developments.
To the first of the above, we are particularly indebted for this
translation, of whose value we are assured by the translator's intimate
knowledge and contribution to this field.
A. J. Viterbi
J. K. Omura